Poetry Explorer- Classic Contemporary Poetry, THE FAMOUS FIGHT AT MALAGO, by ANONYMOUS


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Classic and Contemporary Poetry

THE FAMOUS FIGHT AT MALAGO, by                    
First Line: Come all you brave sailors that sails on the main
Last Line: Because with five frigates we did them destroy
Subject(s): Navy - Great Britain;sea;sea Battles; English Navy;ocean;naval Warfare


Come all you brave sailors that sails on the main,
I'll tell you of a fight that was lately in Spain;
And of five sail of frigates bound to Malago,
For to fight the proud Spaniard our orders was so.
There was the Henry and Ruby and the Antelope also,
The Greyhound and the Bryan for fireships must go;
But so bravely we weighed and played our parts
That we made the proud Spaniards to quake in their hearts.
Then we came to an anchor so nigh to the mould:
"Methinks you proud English do grow very bold.'
But we came to an anchor so near to the town
That some of their churches we soon battered down.
They hung out their flag of truce for to know our intent,
And they sent out their longboat to know what we meant;
But our captain he answered them bravely; it was so:
"For to burn all your shipping before we do go.'
"For to burn all our shipping you must us excuse.
'Tis not five sail of frigates shall make us to muse.'
But we burnt all their shipping and their galleys also,
And we left in the city full many a widow.
"Come then,' says our captain, "let's fire at the church';
And down came their belfry, which grieved them much;
And down came the steeple which standeth so high,
Which made the proud Spaniards to the nunnery fly.
So great a confusion we made in the town
That their lofty buildings came tumbling down;
Their wives and their children for help they did cry,
But none could relieve them though danger was nigh.
The flames and the smoke so increased their woe
That they knew not wither to run nor to go;
Some to shun the fire leapt into the flood,
And there they did perish in water and mud.
Our guns we kept firing, still shooting amain,
Whilst many a proud Spaniard was on the place slain.
The rest being amazed for succour did cry,
But all was in vain, they had nowhere to fly.
At length being forced they thought it most fit
Unto the brave Englishmen for to submit:
And so a conclusion at last we did make
Upon such conditions as was fit to take.
The Spanish Armado did England no harm,
'Twas but a braggado to give us alarm;
But with our five frigates we did them bumbaste,
And made them of Englishmen's valour to taste.
When this noble victory we did obtain,
Then home we returned to England again,
Where we were received with welcomes of joy
Because with five frigates we did them destroy.





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